The Foreign Service Journal, April 2015

the Foreign Service journal | April 2015 13 T he April 1965 Journal cover is a painting by Ruth Renwick, a portrait artist and the wife of senior USAID official Donald Q. Coster. On her husband’s assignment to Saigon, Mrs. Coster closed her studio inWashington, D.C., and accompanied him to Vietnam. There she achieved the rare distinction of being the only American and the only female member of the faculty of the University of Saigon, where she taught painting—in French, which she speaks fluently—to Vietnamese students. 50 Years Ago can values and innovations.” The Greening Council strives to facili- tate the formation of “green teams” at posts, and also provides the department with sustainability reports to moni- tor progress. One important program launched in February is a data partner- ship with the Environmental Protection Agency to install air quality monitoring equipment at select U.S. diplomatic posts overseas. The Greening Council encourages employee participation. State employees can access an internal “Greening Diplo- macy” blog at wordpress.state.gov/eco ptions. The blog is a forum for exchang- ing best environmental practices and offers a variety of practical resources. Readers can email or post items about their own initiatives for publication. GDI’s site provides links to valuable eco-resources including a Guide to Green Embassies and Post Green Team Toolkit , designed to help motivated embassy employees form and lead a team at post and to provide information on such eco- options as Energy & Water Audits and Energy Savings Performance Contracts (known as ESPCs). Audits are the first step in assessing existing conditions to identify areas for improvement. ESPCs allow federal agen- cies to complete energy savings projects without up-front capital costs or special congressional appropriations. The ESPC at Embassy Managua is reducing the embassy’s grid power demand by 54 percent. The Greening Council also confers annual Green Diplomacy Initiative Awards. Last year’s top prize went to Mission Thailand’s “Turn It Off” cam- paign, which saved more than $900,000 and reduced energy use by 11 percent. Future goals for the Greening Council include rolling out the “Turn It Off” pro- gram around the world, engaging in pub- lic diplomacy and leading by example in eco-diplomacy—and, of course, examin- ing any ideas that users submit. More information on State’s eco- diplomacy programs can be found at www.state.gov/green. —Shannon Mizzi, Editorial Intern The Quiz LOST IN TRANSLATION What are these countries called in English? 1. Shqiperia 2. Hayastan 3. Zhongguo 4. Misr 5. Eesti Vabariik 6. Suomen Tasavalta 7. Sak’art’velo 8. Magyarorszag 9. Bharat 10. al-Urdun 11. Hanguk 12. Lubnan This quiz was submitted by retired FSO Rob Callard. Find the answers on p. 15. “Your Online Sweetie Might Be a Scammer” T he Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs reached out to an Internet-savvy audience for Valentine’s Day this year with the publication of a six-point Buzzfeed “listicle” detailing safety tips for those who wade into the dangerous waters of online dating. The article, “Six Signs Your Online Sweetie Might Be an Overseas Scammer, ” includes humorous images relating to each of the six points using pop culture references such as “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “Napoleon Dynamite,” as well as Beyoncé, model Miranda Kerr and, of course, adorable cats.